Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is most commonly associated with deficiency of which vitamin?

• A. Niacin deficiency
• B. Thiamine deficiency causing chronic memory disorder mostly due to alcohol misuse
• C. Vitamin C deficiency
• D. Vitamin D deficiency

Answer: (B)

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome arises from a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), a crucial cofactor for enzymes that generate energy from glucose in brain cells. When thiamine is severely lacking, brain energy production falters, especially in regions important for memory, leading to the acute Wernicke signs (eye movement problems, ataxia, and confusion) and the later, chronic memory disturbances seen in Korsakoff syndrome. This deficiency is most commonly linked to chronic alcohol misuse because alcohol impairs intake, absorption, and liver activation of thiamine, creating a high risk of depletion. Contextually, other listed vitamins are tied to different conditions—niacin deficiency causes pellagra with dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia; vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy; vitamin D deficiency leads to bone problems like rickets or osteomalacia.